I want to get my top teeth improved. They’re all discolored. My dentist is suggesting composite bonding for them at a price of just $3000 total. I would jump on that but have one reservation. I chipped a tooth a couple of years ago that knocked a good portion of my tooth off. My dentist fixed it with dental bonding. While my dentist did make the tooth whole again, the bonding part is very obvious and has been from the beginning. Now it is much more stained. I’m not sure I want my front eight teeth looking like that. He said the next option was porcelain veneers but they are really expensive. I have found there are some online veneers that are much less expensive. They pop over the front teeth. Is this a viable option for me or is there something I should be aware of?
Loren
Dear Loren,
I am going to start with your dentist’s first suggestion of dental bonding. I’m going to strongly suggest you do not use this for your smile makeover. First, he obviously does not have the cosmetic skills required to do a beautiful job with advanced cosmetic procedures, such as the dental bonding. Though, I suspect you have already figured that out.
When you are getting a complete smile makeover, porcelain veneers are the go-to procedure. When done in the hands of a skilled cosmetic dentist, it can give you a beautiful, natural looking smile that will last for years.
The snap on type of veneers you are considering are not at all like the porcelain veneers provided for you by a dentist. The ones online that snap onto your teeth are made of acrylic. They will not look as natural. From close up it will be obvious they are fake. Plus, because they snap over your teeth, they tend to look a bit bulky.
If you truly want a smile makeover, I suggest that you wait and save up for the porcelain veneers. Though, you may want to find a more experienced cosmetic dentist to do the work.
Before you do that, I did have a question. The only thing that you mentioned fixing about your smile was the discoloration. A complete smile makeover would typically be for fixing more than just the color, but also the shape and the size. If that is what you had in mind, then by all means save up for the porcelain veneers. However, if all you needed was to adjust the color, teeth whitening would be the right solution. It will also cost you thousands of dollars less.
This blog is brought to you by East Cobb Dentist Dr. Cristi Cheek.